After School Routine

Being back at work has brought on a big change in our everyday routine, but the one that is the most crucial in my opinion is our after school routine. As soon as the kids get home, they want to play and unwind, but I have to make sure they have a few things done first. From the time they get off the bus to the time they go to bed is about 4.5 hours, so we have to maximize the time we do have. Even though I work in the same school as them, I don’t see them as much as you would think. I try to be intentional about the time we have after school and make the most of it!

First things first- they take out their folders, place their completed work and important school papers in a designated place, and clean out their lunch boxes. They take a packed lunch every day, and I decided this year that they are old enough to at least clean it out so it’s ready for me in the morning.

Next up is always a snack. These kids are going to eat me out of house and home before long! I try to switch it up to keep things interesting, so when we were in Bloomington last week, we stopped at Hy-Vee (my fave!) and I grabbed Honey Maid Smores cereal!

The kids were instantly intrigued because the love s’mores, and I thought it would be a fun new snack for them as we all unwind from a day at school.

The kids get some tablet/screen time when they get home to unwind, and then after 30 minutes or so, I switch them to something else. Sometimes that’s when we do homework, most of the time they go play outside for awhile, but on this particular HOT day, they decided to stay in where it was cool and play Legos. They have such imaginations and it’s the perfect time to get a snack in!

I poured them each a small bowl full of Honey Maid Smores cereal and let them be! I love this age because I can help facilitate an activity, but they can execute without me. This is when I catch up on cleaning, laundry, and start dinner. It’s been important for me to have a little downtime as well so I can keep up on the household things!

After dinner and showers, the kids usually read for 15 minutes or play on their tablets before we unwind with a little Netflix. We have recently started watching The Great British Baking Championship and they love it! We still cuddle on the couch at night, talk about our day and the next day, and then it’s bedtime. These kids require quite a bit of sleep (especially Kenley) but I love how our routine helps them unwind and feel cared for.

Next time you are at Hy-Vee, check out the Honey Maid Smores cereal, and give it a try with your kids as an after school snack, or even breakfast! We love going to Hy-Vee when we have the chance, and I will be stocking up on this cereal next time I go!